The Killer Smile
by Samael's Touch
Summary: Some have the opportunity to learn what it means to cross a mage before it come back to burn them. Then there those who do not.


**A Killer Smile**

The full moon started moon down on the large keep of stone. Three figures scaled the walls and flipped on top of it. They began to move stealthily past the guard patrols, slipping in and out of the shadows. The first of the group, a dark haired human man, held up a hand signalling his compatriots to stop. He gestured to the group of three guards ahead, looking for confirmation, each nodded their consent. They each picked a target and on an unspoken count threw their blades toward their prey. They were dead before they hit the ground.

They murderous group prowled forward to retrieve their weapons, hiding the bodies in a conveniently nearby stable. It simply wouldn't do to be discovered before their business was completed after all.

They continue on to looking for their true prey. They found him longing in a corner with a book in hand. The last two of the group, fair haired elven men both, exchanged smirks. It appeared that their mark had grown soft and weak in his advancing age, for he indeed looked at least twenty years older than his true age.

The mark in question was a human man of age forty two. His once raven feather hair grey with shocks of white, face wrinkled with laugh lines. He paused in his reading and looked up with a questioning expression before comprehension dawned on his face.

"Ah visitors." He called out to the seemingly empty room "I've wasn't expecting you for another two days." He paused and looked around with a smile. "Did you have fair winds on your journey? Its certainly a long way to travel just for me. Well I'm sure that Ferelden is quite different than what your use to. " He sighed. "I am sorry to have to inform you, but you will not be seeing your native land again, little bird. I hope you understand its nothing personal, right?"

The human member of the trio had grown tired of listening to his counterpart talk, already unnerved by his sudden detection of their presence, nodded to his partners to begin to flank the obviously mad old man. He stepped out of the shadows with confidence he did not even begin to feel. "Tell me then…" He began. "How did you know of our coming?" His bravado was indeed impressive mused the older of the pair.

He mentally shook his head to clear it of such thoughts, instead giving the young man a gentle smile completely at odds with the steely look in his eye. "You have not done the appropriate research my friend. Have you heard of Zevran Arainai? The Crow Master? No? You must have heard of him, he rather took Antiva by storm some years back. He still visits every year you know." He had distant look on his face as he remembered time spent with his old friend. "What kind of friend would he be if he did not inform me of some upstart young Crows trying to make a nam-" He was cut off mid-sentence by the first of the elven pair erupting from the shadows, blade gleaming in the fire light. With frightening speed, gentle smile remaining on his face, the human drew a dagger slashed the elf's throat mid leap and spewed white hot flames at the second when he followed. He was dead before he hit the ground.

The mage placed a foot on the chest of the heavily bleeding elf, who pawed weakly at the foot before going limp, still smiling as the elf's lifeblood pooled on the floor at his feet. The mage got a thoughtful look on his face. "Now where was I… see now you've made me lose my train of thought." He jabbed a finger at the remaining assassin, now stiff and pale faced in terror, as though he had not just butchered two of the best of the new generation of Crows. "Oh yes." The mage cried triumphantly. "Some upstart young Crows trying to make a name with my head. Me, Larten Amell." He chuckled. "My dear boy, I've been killing the monsters of nightmare since before you were a thought in your mothers head."

The assassin had still not moved, rooted to the spot in terror. The newly named Larten Amell looked at him with piercing gaze. "I'm sorry about this my boy." He raised a hand, still staring the would be Hero killer in the eyes. "Better look in the next life." The last thing the assassin who dreamed of being powerful and feared before being consumed by all-consuming flames was the hard eyes and gentle smile. A Killer Smile.

After all anyone could take a life, but it took a true monster to smile as they stole the lives of the who would cross them.


End file.
